When an old chair gets a re-cover of 100% recyclable polyester felt, it becomes a marriage of high-fashion and eco-furniture. That and my heart beat goes pitter-patter. Isn’t she fabulous? Her name is Jenny.

Jenny, recently shown at SaloneSatellite in Milan, was created by young Swedish designer Fredrik Färg who presented a range of found chairs that he re-purposed with recycled felt coverings.

Jenny and Arthur (shown above) blend an elegant male/female combo. The fabric design was inspired by vintage tailoring.

Looks like Arthur has some competition in a face-off as Jenny waits to the side. Who will win her affections?

From the designer:

By using old chairs from flea markets and removing the backrest, replacing it with a new textile dress/structure of mouldable polyester felt, I am creating “slow fashion” furniture, giving the old chairs a new glance.

The project, according to the artist, “looks to the beauty of those shapes that never change.” Fredrik takes his inspiration from classic tailoring, such as suits and dinner jackets that never go out of style.  Fabulous.

For more on the designer visit www.fredrikfarg.com.

Too cool for school.

What happens when you combine a re-usable cloth bag, designed by architect trio Claesson Koivisto Rune with the donated fabrics and clothing (16 tons a year) from the non-profit organization Stockholm City Mission?

A beautiful combination that takes an existing construction design (of the plastic bag) and an existing eco-friendly raw material (the donated fabric) and uses it to help the homeless in Stockholm City, Sweden.

More details from the David Report:

The mountains of excess textiles that otherwise would have been disposed of find a good use. The homeless get an opportunity to work. (In a non-repetitive process, through the unlimited choice of creative fabric combinations.) And the Stockholm City Mission can create some revenue to help run their organization… Claesson Koivisto Rune says that they can only see up-sides to this project. That is their reward.

Very cool indeed.

I’m giggling over these photos as I find myself wanting this unique bag.

For more info on the designers follow me.

Rain tees (shown above and below) are organic t-shirts, offered by Andira Rain Tees, whose mission it is to replenish rain forests by raising consciousness and planting trees.

Here’s how it works:

Andira donates school supplies to the children [of regions across the globe] and asks them to illustrate what they see happening in their world every day. Each Rain Tee features their thoughts illustrations and names.

With every rain tee purchased you are:

• Supporting fair trade and fair labor practices
• Promoting reforestation of the rain forest
• Creating environmental education for youth living in both endangered tropical forests and in our local communities
• Combating the negative affects of climate change and agricultural pollution by supporting organic farming and eco-conscious apparel production.
• Creating “green jobs” for workers in rain forest communities so they do not feel forced to work in deforestation, animal trafficking or oil industries to feed their families.

For more on Andira Rain Trees vist www.raintees.com.

We’ve all heard about the amazing qualities of bamboo; it grows quickly, and when used as a material to design clothing, is extremely flattering and soft. It’s also as strong as steel and durable enough to be used for housing and floors all around the world.

bamboo charcoal - who knew?

One use that surprised and impressed me was introduced to me by a company called Ever Bamboo, who supply products made out of bamboo charcoal. Produced from the rapidly growing Moso Bamboo, bamboo charcoal has porous properties which make it a great base material for deodorizers and dehumidifiers.

Ever Bamboo’s list of products made from the substance include fridge & freezer deodorizer, car deodorizer, face & body soap and bamboo vinegar.

I was curious to learn more about the creative genius behind Ever Bamboo and recently interviewed K.B. Lee, the President of the company. Here’s how it went:

EcoDiva: Why did you choose the name Ever Bamboo for your product line?

KB: Because the product is sustainable (made from the rapidly growing moso bamboo), is reusable (lasts over one year with monthly exposure to sunlight), and is recyclable with soil at the end of its lifespan.

EcoDiva: Who was your product created for?

KB: For moms, babies, dads, athletes, people who like natural products.  There are specific products for specific people such as bamboo charcoal seat pad for wheelchair user.

EcoDiva: In this new market of green and eco-friendly products, what makes Ever Bamboo stand out from the crowd?

KB: Bamboo charcoal deodorizers from Ever Bamboo are natural, effective, sustainable, reusable, and recyclable, with minimal packaging.

EcoDiva: With all of the confusion regarding what is TRULY organic, what criteria do you have in place for the organic and natural products you create?

KB: Our product is 100% natural made from Moso Bamboo.  We strive to use eco-friendly packaging as possible.  Part of our packaging is not eco-friendly at this moment but we have found the eco-friendly biodegradable replacement and would change to that material in 2010.

EcoDiva: What type of products can we look forward to in future issues?

KB: Bamboo charcoal soap will be launched in August.  The soap (made in Canada) is made of 100% organic ingredients which is pregnant mom and baby friendly.  Parts of the ingredients are bamboo charcoal powder and bamboo vinegar.  Bamboo charcoal powder absorbs and draws out toxic from skin. Bamboo vinegar is the vapors collected during the burning process, it is a natural disinfectant which helps to smooth out the skin. read the rest of this entry »

Ella Vickers Recycled Sailcloth Collection (shown at left) is gorgeous, eco-friendly and handcrafted in the USA using yachts sails from around the world.

Inspired by her days of sailing as first mate on a classic Americas Cup winner, Ella made herself a set of bags from a discarded sail. When regatta guests snapped them right off her arm, Ella knew that a company was about to be born.

The durable and sophisticated designs reflect the nautical lifestyle with crisp white Dacron Sailcloth and hi-performance Kevlar Sailcloth.

The gorgeous Ella Vickers urban-chic collection ranges from the petite cocktail cache’ to the purposeful tote messenger and the ocean resilient duffel. You’ll even find beautiful yoga bags, diaper bags and doggie beds.

The Personal Green Journey

“I started selling my bags in 1989 in canvas shop,” says Ella, “but I originally went to school for natural medicine.”  Ella eventually incorporated, originally as NautiGear (which has since been changed to Ella Vickers in 2000). Today, Ella Vickers features over forty designs including shower curtains, duffel bags, diaper bags and amazing versatile handbags.

And she continues, “This is a small cottage industry.  I work with companies who encourage sail boat owners to return used sail cloths back to the company.  Then I buy these sail cloths at a discount.  This is a great way to stop the buck with wasting a huge amount of material that would normally be discarded.”

“Green” Personal and Business Practices

Although Ella would love to buy all sail cloth as it becomes available, being green means watching out for unnecessary spending and resources being wasted with shipping cloth that may not be used, If the cloth is too heavy to ship from a long distance, Ella believes its “unnecessary to spend money on the fuel.”

The bags are manufactured in two US locations; North Carolina and Brooklyn, NY by a team of seamstresses who are well paid and treated well.

“We are a big family,” Ella shares in describing the process of finding the perfect home to manufacture her designs, “It was a difficult task to find a manufacturer who would deal with the sailcloth. Most companies”, Ella explained, “want material that is new off the roll and easy to deal with.”

But that just would not be the style of this EcoDiva.

EcoDiva Note: “By the way, if you happen to have an old or used sailcloth or old corporate banner lying around, you can even send it in for your own personal bag made from your very own sailcloth. What an amazing gift that would make.”

Why It’s Important To Recycle

Ella Vickers has been sailing her whole life. As she shares, “I’ve lived on and off of a boat when I was growing up. On a boat, you can’t help but become aware of garbage when you are the one who has to lug it to the dumpster.”

After speaking with Ella about her life aboard a boat, it’s easy to see how living on a sailboat is green in a wholly encompassing approach.  “{Essentially},” as she comments, “you are living with the environment wherever you go. You don’t use or purchase fuel unless it is necessary. I grew up living with natural food; it is part of who I am.”

Future Plans For Ella Vickers

Ella’s goal is to reach more people with her designs and as she puts it, “to continue awareness and growth.”  Her intention is to keep manufacturing in-house and always do custom bags because she simply “loves, loves, loves that personal touch.”

The Ella Vickers line will always feature the totes which are very popular as well as the duffel bags as well as the San Francisco collection.

Ella is the primary creative force behind the line of bags, but does collaborate with others, including her business partner Charlotte and her seamstresses. As she says, “We are all a team.”

You can find the Ella Vickers collection on line by visiting www.ellavickers.com. Products are also available in retail shops and art galleries throughout the country.